Nigeria mourns 25 killed as military plane crashes into swamp

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a military plane in southern Ondo State, which claimed the lives of 25 individuals. The Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, reported that 32 people had died initially, but the Air Force later clarified that the actual number was 25 - consisting of five crew members and 20 passengers.

The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed into a swamp near a naval base in Ondo State on Monday morning.

The plane, an ATR-42 aircraft, is a medium-sized aircraft capable of carrying between 30 and 50 passengers. The crash is the deadliest involving a Nigerian military aircraft since 1992. The Nigerian Air Force has released the names of the deceased, noting that 19 of the victims were military personnel. President Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and has directed a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

He also ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives.

Tinubu noted that the tragic event is a painful moment for both the Armed Forces and the entire nation, highlighting that Air Force personnel risk their lives daily to protect Nigeria. Keyamo indicated that search and rescue operations are ongoing at the time of the report. This crash has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of military aircraft in the country, prompting the Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.